The present invention relates to a novel and useful endoscope gripping device.
Endoscopes are medical devices used to examine the inside a person's body and each generally includes of a long, thin, flexible (or rigid) insertion tube. The terminus of the endoscope tube also is provided with a light and a video camera. Images of the inside of a patient's body are then projected onto a screen. Thus, an endoscope may be used to examine the interior surfaces of an organ or tissue within the body cavity. In addition, the endoscope may also be employed for enabling biopsies and retrieving foreign objects, generally in the gastrointestinal tract.
Practitioners employing endoscopes during endoscopy procedures are susceptible to overuse injuries occurring from repeated microtrauma to a tendon, ligament, or joint, or repeated ischemia to peripheral nerves.
During the endoscopy procedure, the practitioner normally uses the left hand to grip and stabilize the control system such that the left thumb manipulates the control dials. The right hand pinches or grips the insertion tube and the right arm pushes, pulls, and applies torque to the endoscope. Such maneuvers involve the application of relatively high forces by the practitioner. As a consequence, these activities require extreme or prolonged wrist flexion or extension, and radial or ulnar deviation. The combination of high finger forces with awkward wrist postures exacerbates the risk of overuse injury to the practitioner.
In the past, many systems have been proposed for the insertion of medical devices and probes, such as endoscopes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,185 shows a sensor handle assembly for implantation into a body part that carries a force indicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,514 shows a device for inserting a flexible element into a soft tissue which includes a pair of tubular portions defining a lumen for a surgical tool. The pair of tubular members each includes slits that may be aligned later to allow the withdrawal of the surgical tube without interfering with the inserted surgical instrument.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,667,068 and 6,976,955, as well as United States Patent Publications 2005/0256375, and 2009/0247827, and Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 9094219 (A), describe cylindrical type handles that surround an endoscope tube, catheter, or other like device, to allow the practitioner to easily grip the probe being inserted into a body cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,284 describes a dialyses probe which is maneuvered by the use of a handle having two upstanding parts and wings which enables canular tubes to be withdrawn using only two fingers of the practitioner.
United States Patent Publication 2005/0256371 illustrates a robotic endoscope holder which may maneuver the endoscope using electromechanical mechanisms.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,441,042, 5,702,349, and United States Patent Publication No. 2005/0070852 show clamping or adhesive holding devices for an endoscope tube for use during surgical procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,876 teaches a device for holding and positioning an endoscope by the use of two bow-shaped elements which pivot and tend to guide the endoscope during insertion procedures.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,586,553 and 6,679,834 illustrate holders for an endoscope for a cannula which includes a base member that surrounds the tubular portion of the device and holds the same at an angle to the base member.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,727,605 and 6,540,737 describe elongated medical instrument holders which employ supports which allow the practitioner to indirectly grip an elongated medical instrument such as an endoscope when used to enter the body cavity.
A gripping device for an endoscope which greatly relieves stresses on the practitioners hand would be a notable advance in the medical field.